Knee Cartilage Injuries

Knee cartilage injuries often strike people who are physically active. If you suspect you’ve suffered damage to the cartilage of the knee, contact Houston Methodist Orthopedics and Sports Medicine inHouston and Sugar Land, Texas. Board-certified sports medicine orthopedic surgeon Kyle Borque, MD, is skilled in diagnosing and treating knee cartilage injuries, some of the most difficult injuries to treat. Call today or use the online tool to schedule your appointment.

What are knee cartilage injuries? 

Articular cartilage is a tough but flexible connective tissue that covers the ends of your bones at your joints. The cartilage allows the bones to slide against one another smoothly, such as when your knee bends.  

Damage to the cartilage can be painful and often result in more joint friction. Severe knee cartilage injuries can make daily activity and sports play difficult or impossible. 

What causes knee cartilage injuries?

Injury or overuse are the most common causes of knee cartilage injuries, though they can also be due to a loss of blood supply to the underlying bone. You may suffer injury to your knee cartilage due to:

• Repetitive impact to the joint
• Forceful impact from a fall or sports injury
• Twisting the joint while your foot is planted
• Poor joint alignment
• Normal wear-and-tear from decades of use

Cartilage injuries don’t heal well without professional treatment due to the lack of a steady blood supply to promote the necessary healing. 

What are the symptoms of a knee cartilage injury?

Suspect you have a knee cartilage injury if you suffer:

• Pain and/or swelling at the knee
• Crackling, grating, or popping sounds when moving the joint
• Feelings of “catching” at the knee joint
• An inability to fully extend or bend the joint
• Instability 
• Stiffness
• Reduced range of motion

Dr. Borque reviews your medical history, performs a physical exam, and orders diagnostic tests, like an MRI, to diagnose your injury.  

How do you treat knee cartilage injuries? 

Dr. Borque offers nonsurgical treatments to alleviate pain and slow or prevent further degeneration of cartilage. Examples of nonsurgical treatments include: 

• Rest
• Icing
• Elevation of the joint
• Over-the-counter anti-inflammatories
• Modifications in activity
• Bracing
• Physical therapy
• Steroid or viscosupplementation injections
• Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections

Nonsurgical treatments help you find relief but don’t repair injured cartilage.  

Dr. Borque often recommends surgery to heal damaged cartilage. Surgery can relieve symptoms, and certain methods can also repair injured cartilage to restore the function of the knee. Dr. Borque performs these surgeries with minimally invasive arthroscopic methods.

Dr. Borque specializes in cutting-edge techniques including:

• Osteochondral allograft transplant
• Osteochondral autograft transfer
• Matrix induced autologous chondrocyte implantation (MACI)
• CartiMax Viable Cartilage Allograft

Can I heal from knee cartilage injuries? 

Cartilage injuries rarely heal without surgery due to the absence of blood supply. If you have pain daily that prevents you from being active, sometimes surgery is required. Dr. Borque will review the size and location of your injury, as well as your goals and activity level, to determine the ideal treatment plan for you.  Dr. Borque explains what you can expect from treatment and your likely long-term outlook for healing.  

Have your knee cartilage injury evaluated. Call Houston Methodist Orthopedics and Sports Medicine to schedule an appointment today, or use the online tool to book.